Portugal have progressed to the quarter-finals of the World Cup 2022 after thrashing Switzerland 6-1 in the last 16 at Lusail Stadium on Tuesday night.
Goncalo Ramos scored the first hat-trick of this year's tournament in Qatar, while Pepe, Raphael Guerreiro and Rafael Leao were also on the scoresheet as Portugal swept aside a lacklustre Swiss outfit, whose only goal of the night came from Manuel Akanji midway through the second half.
Fernando Santos's side have advanced to the quarter-finals of the World Cup for just the third time in their history and for the first time since 2006, and they have now set up a last-eight clash with surprise package Morocco, who stunned Spain to win 3-0 on penalties earlier in the day.
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The major talking point before kickoff was the news of Cristiano Ronaldo being dropped to the substitutes' bench, with the 37-year-old not starting for Portugal at a major tournament for the first time since a Euro 2008 clash against none other than Switzerland.
Santos, who was critical of Ronaldo's reaction after coming off in the 2-1 loss to South Korea last time out, made the bold decision to replace the five-time Ballon d'Or winner with Benfica striker Ramos, who was handed his first international start.
Indeed, the 21-year-old – who made his senior international debut less than three weeks ago – repaid that faith shown by his manager by opening the scoring in emphatic fashion in the 18th minute.
After receiving the ball inside the area on the left channel from Joao Felix, Ramos quickly turned and unleashed a powerful left-footed strike from a tight angle into the top corner, beating Yann Sommer all ends up at the near post.
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Portugal then began to dominate proceedings against a Swiss side usually known for their resilient attributes, and Sommer was called into action on two occasions shortly after the opening goal, comfortably saving two strikes from the edge of the area by Otavio and Ramos.
Switzerland's best chance of the first half came in the 29th minute from Xherdan Shaqiri, who came close with a venomous free kick from around 30 yards out which had Diogo Costa scrambling towards his left post to tip the ball away for a corner.
That proved to be Switzerland's only real opportunity in the first 45, and Portugal went up the other end shortly after to double their lead in the 33rd minute courtesy of a thumping header from veteran defender Pepe.
At the age of 39 years and 283 days, Pepe became the second-oldest goalscorer in World Cup history – after Cameroon legend Roger Milla (42 years and 39 days) – when he rose in between Akanji and Fabian Schar to head home a Bruno Fernandes corner.
Ramos was then denied his second of the night by Sommer three minutes before the break, with the Swiss No.1 diving at full stretch to tip the ball away from danger.
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However, it took just four minutes after the interval for Ramos to score his second and Portugal's third, when Diogo Dalot fizzed a low-driven cross from the right towards the Benfica man, who darted in front of the defender at the near post to flick the ball through the legs of Sommer.
Portugal were turning on the style and they added a fourth in the 55th minute when a well-worked free-flowing counter-attacking move resulted in left-back Guerreiro firing past Sommer into the roof of the net.
While Santos will have been delighted with his side's rampant performance, the 68-year-old boss vented his frustration when Switzerland pulled one back from a corner just two minutes later, with Manchester City defender Akanji pouncing at the back post to tap home from close range.
However, Santos and co were smiling once again in the 67th minute when Ramos completed his hat-trick in stylish fashion, running onto a perfectly weighted through-ball from Felix before stabbing the ball over Sommer into the far corner.
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To the delight of many inside Lusail Stadium, Ronaldo was one of three Portugal players brought on in the 72nd minute along with Ricardo Horta and Vitinha, with Ramos, Felix and Otavio all making way.
Ronaldo had the ball in the back of the net in the 84th minute, sweeping a left-footed strike across the face of goal into the bottom corner, but the goal was disallowed as Portugal's No.7 was caught in an offside position.
Fellow substitute Leao was able to get on the scoresheet, though, with the AC Milan star cutting inside from the left before curling a delightful strike into the far-right corner in stoppage time, adding a sixth to cap off a brilliant night for Portugal.
Portugal's quarter-final encounter with Morocco will take place at the Al Thumama Stadium on Saturday, and the winners will face either England or France in the semi-finals.
Oliver Thomas
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